Improvement in non-interfering fire-alarm telegraphs



2 Sheets--Sheet 1.

I l. W. KATE S. Non-Interfering Fire-Alarm Telegraph.

Patented July 13, I875.

N. PETERS.

FHDTO-LATHQGRAPHER, WASHINGTON. g (2v ZSheets SheetZ.

.I. W. KATES. Non-Interfering Fire-Alarm Telegraph. v NOD]65,5Q].Patented-July13,1875.

Mi l Hm NIH JOSEPH w. KATES, or RICHMOND, VIRGINIA.

lMPROVEWIENT IN NON-INTERFERING FIRE-ALARM TELEGRAPHS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 65,591. dated July 13,1875; application filed April 28, 1875.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JOSEPH W. KATEs, of Richmond, in the county ofHenrico and State of Virginia,haveinventeda new and Improved NonInterfering Fire-Alarm Telegraph; and I do hereby dec are that thefollowing is a full,

clear, and exact descriptionof the same, reference being had to theaccompanying drawing, forming a part of this specification, in whichFigure l is a vertical section through linew 00 of Fig. 2; Fig. 2, aplan view; Figs. 3 and 4 details of the non-interference devices.

The object of this invention is to provide an improved electriclire-alarm, in which is avoided the interference and confusion ofsignals, caused by the sending of two separate signals from differentpoints at the same time.

it consists in a method of connecting the instruments at the differentsignal-stations by a second electric circuit which circuitis opened orclosed automatically to operate the armature of an electro-magnet, whichserves as a stop for a clock mechanism, and locks, by means of the saidsecond circuit, allof the instruments at the signal-stations, except theone in operation, for the prevention of all interference between thedifl'erent instruments. It also consists in the method of automaticallyoperating the armature, having a stop for the clockgearing for thelooking or unlocking of the other instruments, by a non-conducting tapeplaced upon the same drums with the signaltape, and passing betweencentral rollers that form'the electrodes of the second circuit, andperforated at its extremities so that the second circuit is closed forthis particular instrument whenever the tape is entirely wound up, orentirely run down, and is opened during the operation of the instrumentto lock the otherinstrnments. The invention further consists in thecombination, with the main drum or spring-shaft carrying a pinion, ofarack-bar that engages with a shoulder upon the stop of the armature toprevent the operating instrument from looking itself.

In the drawing, A represents the positive and A the negative pole of theinstrument, which pass the current through the signaling or perforatedtape, and is connected with the central'battery and an alarm-bell at thecen- Oral and other alarm-stations, and forms the main line. B is thepositive and B the nega tive pole of the non-interference and secondarycircuit, which controls the locking of the instruments, and iselectrically connected with an independent central battery, and each ofthe signal-station instruments, and with the central alarm and otherstations. 0 G are drums journaled in supports, and provided with pinionsl) D, which mesh with a central toothed wheel, E. Said wheel'hasattached to its shaft a rigidly-attached crank, F, carrying a pin, 0,and also a loosely-moving bifurcated lever, G, which turns the crank inone direction, and moves independently of it in the other. The saidcrank has an extension, H, w hioh moves between the adjustableset-screws I I and regulates the throw of the lever. J is anon'conducting tape, perforated with holes to represent the number ofthe signal-box, which is wound upon the drum 0 when the lever isdeflected, and upon the drum 0 when the instrument is spent. Aspring-seated and platinumfaced contact-wheel, K, is connected by aWire, c with the poleA of the main line, and a contact-roller, K,communicating with the roller K through the perforations, is connectedwith the pole A of the main line through wire a. When the instrument isnot in operation the current is shunted from the rollers by wires a anda and an insulated spring-seated pawl, d, that closes the circuit, byengaging with a stud upon the main wheel of the clock-gearing, whichdevice is more particularly described and claimed in my patent No.158,715. To prevent the interference between the signals of differentinstruments, which may be operated at the same time, a second tape, L,is placed upon the drums and operated with the other tapes. Said tapeisperforated only at its extremities, and closes the secondary circuit ofthe poles B B, only when the instrument is entirely wound up or entirelyrun down. This tape is provided with contactrollers M M, similar tothose of the other tape, which are connected, M by a wire, b, with thepole B, and M by a wire, 6, with the magnets N, and by Wire b runningtherefrom with the pole B. O is an armature playing upon the magnets N,and having alever-extension,

P, to the upper endof which is attached a spring, Q, which, when themagnets are demagnetized by the breaking of the second circuit by thetape L of some other instrument, holds the armature away from themagnets, and forces a stop, R, at the lower end, into a fly, S, of theclock-gearing to stop its motion, and lock the instrument.

To prevent the operating instrument from looking itself as soon as itssecond circuit shall be broken by its tape L, the stop It is providedwith a shoulder, f, behind which passes a rackbar, 9, operated by apinion, h, upon the main shaft carrying the spring, whereby the stop isprevented from going into the fly after the magnets are demagnetizeduntil the instrument is spent, and the stop in alignment with a notch inthe said rack-bar.

\Vhen two instruments are pulled at the same time, the second one thoughlocked may be set ready to operate in its turn, the rackbar beingprovided with a spring, 6, which allows the rack-bar a vertical motion,and permits it to mount the stop R in its locked position.

The operation of the instrument is as fol lows: \Vhen the instrument isnot in use the main alarm-current is shunted from the contact-wheels andtapes by the wires 0 (o and the contact of the stud upon the wheel ofthe clock-gearing, with the spring-seated insulated pawl. WVhen thelever is pulled, this contact shunts the current until the tapes areunwound from one drum and wound up on another, and as soon as the studleaves the said pawl the current is sent through the contact-wheels ofthe perforated signaltape, and the signal indicating the position of theinstrument sent to the central and other alarm-stations. While, however,the signals are being sent the secondary current is broken by the tapeL, and, as a consequent result, the magnets of the operating, and all ofthe other, instruments being demagnetized, the stops of all the otherinstruments are driven in by the spring to lock the fly of theclockgearing. The operating instrument is prevented from locking itselfby the rack-bar, which, being behind the shoulder of the stop, preventsthe same from being driven into the fly. If the lever of a secondinstrument be pulled before the first has finished, it remains lockeduntil the first instrument is through, and its contact-rollers M M closethe second circuit through the perforation. When this takes places theelectromagnets of the second instrument, being magnetized, withdraw thestop of that instrument, and allows it to send its signals after thesignals of the first have been recorded, so as to obviate anypossibility of an interference. Should the levers of two separateinstruments be pulled while the first is operating, they would bothstart upon the closing of the secondary circuit; but the one which firstbreaks the circuit again stops and locks the third until the said secondone has recorded its signal and is through.

The instruments, as thus described, are to be fitted with bell-magnetsor sounders for the main alarm-circuit, and the secondary wire isprovided with a closed key and bell-magnet or sounder, which, when theinstruments are not in use while an alarm of tire is being transmitted,may be employed for police or other purposes between police-stations,and may be used from the fire-instruments to police-stations. or toother fire alarm instruments and to the central station, either by theuse of the Morse alphabet or a code of tap-signals.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new is- 1. Theherein-described method of preventing interference of signals byconnecting the instruments at the various signal'stations by a secondand independent electric circuit, which is opened or closedautomatically, and

operates the armature of an electro-magnet 1 carrying a stop for thepurpose of locking the clock mechanism to prevent the interference ofsignals, substantially as described.

2. The herein-described method of automatically operating the armatureprovided with a stop for the clock-gearing, by a non-conductingtapedisposed and operated upon the same drums with the signal-tapes, andhaving perforations at its extremity only, whereby the secondary circuitis closed when the instrument is not in operation, and is broken whilethe instrument is in operation, substantially as described.

3. The stop R, having the shoulder f, in combination with the rack-barg,springt', and pinion h, substantially as and for the purpose described.

JOSEPH XV. KATES. Witnesses R. M. J. PAYNTER, S. McG. FISHER.

